The health chief disclosed the trip in a post on X, expressing solidarity with frontline health workers and international partners responding to the crisis in the conflict-affected area.
“On my way to DRC. Ebola is back. Ituri province is bearing the brunt,” Tedros said.
“I will be on the ground with our WHO teams, partners, and the extraordinary health workers who have never stopped fighting, all working under the leadership of the government of DRC.”
Rising Cases Spark Global Health Concerns
According to the latest figures released by the WHO up to May 24, the outbreak has resulted in 10 confirmed deaths and 223 suspected deaths since it was officially declared in mid-May. Authorities have also recorded more than 1,000 confirmed and suspected infections linked to the virus.
Health experts fear the numbers may continue to rise, particularly because insecurity and weak healthcare access in eastern Congo are complicating surveillance and emergency response operations.
The outbreak is centred in Ituri Province, a region that has experienced decades of armed conflict and instability, leaving many communities without consistent access to healthcare and state services.
Tedros warned that such insecurity makes it significantly harder for medical teams to trace contacts, isolate cases, and prevent further spread of the virus.
“The 17th Will Be No Different”
Despite the growing concerns, the WHO chief expressed confidence that the country would eventually overcome the outbreak, pointing to Congo’s long history of battling Ebola epidemics.
“Sixteen times, this country has defeated Ebola. The 17th will be no different. But we must act now, together,” he said.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has faced multiple Ebola outbreaks over the years, with health authorities and international agencies often relying on rapid response systems, vaccination campaigns, and community engagement to contain the disease.
No Approved Vaccine for Current Strain
Health officials say the current outbreak is being driven by the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is presently no approved vaccine or specific treatment.
The absence of a targeted vaccine has heightened concerns among global health experts, especially as the virus is believed to have circulated undetected for some time before the outbreak was formally identified.
The WHO has also warned that the actual spread of infections may be far wider than current figures suggest, raising fears that many cases could still be unreported in remote or conflict-ridden communities.